It was full throttle on Sunday’s opening night at Baypark Speedway, with former New Zealand Sprint car champion Daniel Thomas of Hamilton winning the opening feature race.

Thomas claimed the Baypark season opener for the second time in three years, finishing ahead of Waikato racers Dean Brindle and Keaton Dahm.

Rain before the scheduled meeting softened the track surface, producing bumpy turns and a high grip.

Following the restart of the final race, Thomas could power away from his rivals, driving in the same car as last year.

“I felt really comfortable in the car even though there was a lot of character in the track.”

He used the outside lane to gain an advantage over his fellow racers, Thomas said.

“It was quite treacherous around the top, but it was faster. After I passed Keaton on the first restart, I chose the outside each time.”

Travis Buckley secured his first win in Midget car racing, outpacing brothers-in-law Brock Maskovich and Michael Pickens after leading the heat races.

“Winning my first feature at Baypark is a great start to the season,” Buckley said.

Travis Buckley topped the Midget car honours. Photo / Colin Smith

He said it was hard to gauge his performance during the race, as it is hard to know how close the other drivers were when he was in the lead.

Elias Dykstra from North Island topped the three-race Super Stock contest with finishes of third, second, and fourth, earning 72 points. Kerry Remnant followed with 70 points, and Todd Hemingway secured third with 66 points.

The 6 Shooter class featured tightly contested races, with the closest finish decided by just 0.044 seconds. Rotorua brothers Luke and Boyd Westbury crossed the line after an intense 15-lap battle.

Close racing between overall winner Elias Dykstra and Huntly racer Wayne Slater in the Super Stock division. Photo / Colin Smith

Baypark Speedway returns on November 2 with the annual Bay Superbowl Fireworks Extravaganza.

The Bill Buckley Midget Car Classic and the season debut of the Super Saloon division headline the on-track competition.

- SunLive